Yellow-shafted Flicker (Northern Flicker) nest update

Female Flicker with one baby beak poking out of the nest hole

Well, we were surprised to hear the squawking of chicks in the Yellow-shafted Flicker nest. Drew took some video grabs as he scrubbed through lots of video over several days, and lo and behold, we have chicks growing up in the nest hole! We are guessing that the woodpeckers had a second clutch of eggs???Who knows.

Male flicker with three chick beaks in the nest hole!

And, here is Papa bird with three sets of beaks present in the nest hole!

Male Yellow-shafted Flicker chick

Junior takes after his dad with the black malar marking behind his beak. Check out his bright red nape on the back of his head.

Male chick with adult male Northern Flicker

Note the coloration difference between the chick and his dear old papa. The chick has a lot more gray on his face, which will turn brown as he ages. These flickers are perfectly suited for our yard with so many ant hills. They should have plenty to eat!

Here is a photo that Drew took this morning of Alpha Chick.